First-year Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur is earning his paycheck this week as he works to develop an offensive game plan with a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start, a banged-up offensive line and a group of little-known receivers who have combined for a grand total of eight catches this season.
asserted
who → earn → catches
“It’s fun,” LaFleur said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
asserted
voice → ’ → sarcasm
The Cardinals (3-6) host the Rams (5-4) on Sunday and will be starting rookie quarterback Carson Beck, a third-round draft pick out of Miami.
asserted
Cardinals → host → Miami
Arizona is trying to snap a 10-game home losing streak that’s lasted more than a year.
asserted
that → try → streak
Beck was the team’s third-string quarterback less than two weeks ago, but has moved into the starting role after Jacoby Brissett was traded to the Baltimore Ravens and Gardner Minshew suffered a season-ending elbow injury against the Seahawks in a loss last weekend.
asserted
Minshew → move → loss
LaFleur has leaned into the chaos, embracing the team’s underdog status.
asserted
LaFleur → lean → status
“We get to tell new stories, man.
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We → get → stories
As I told the guys today when I started with the quarterbacks — ‘You guys probably didn’t have this on your bingo card two weeks ago, and here we are,’” the coach said.
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coach → tell → card
“Different vibes in there, not any better or worse, but it’s the league.
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it → ’ → ?
You’re never shocked by anything in this league, and here we are.”
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we → shock → league
The Rams lost to the Cardinals 18-16 at home on Oct. 18, but have won three straight games since that setback.
asserted
Rams → lose → setback
Los Angeles has a lot of injuries on offense — particularly at receiver with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams battling ailments — but has leaned on its stellar defense to get on a roll.
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Nacua → have → roll
“Our defense is playing great right now,” McVay said.
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McVay → play → ?
“They’ve done an outstanding job.
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They → do → job
I do think that offensively, (quarterback) Matthew (Stafford) and the guys have done a great job of being able to deliver in the moments that they had to.”
asserted
they → think → moments
Against the spread: Rams 5-4, Cardinals 4-5
Last week: Rams beat the Commanders 20-13; Cardinals lost to Seahawks 17-3
Last meeting: Cardinals beat the Rams 18-16 on Oct. 18, 2026, in Inglewood, California.
Series record:
asserted
Cardinals → beat → Inglewood
Rams lead 53-42-2
Matchup to watch
asserted
Rams → lead → Matchup
McBride is having another massive season for the Cardinals with an NFL-leading 73 catches for 598 yards and five touchdowns.
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McBride → have → yards
Stats and stuff
— The Cardinals won the previous meeting between the two teams last month when Chad Ryland kicked six field goals in an 18-16 win.
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Ryland → win → win
It was the first time in Sean McVay’s tenure that the Rams lost a game in which they didn’t allow a touchdown.
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they → lose → touchdown
— McBride has had at least seven catches in his past 11 games going back to last season.
asserted
McBride → have → season
He joins Antonio Brown (14) and Cooper Kupp (11) as the only players in NFL history with that long of a streak.
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He → join → streak
— Cardinals RB Tyler Allgeier has carried the ball 765 times in his career without a fumble.
asserted
Allgeier → carry → fumble
That’s the longest active streak in the NFL.
asserted
That → ’ → NFL
The Cardinals have lost just one fumble this season, which is the fewest in the league.
asserted
which → lose → league
Arizona has dropped 10 straight games at State Farm Stadium since beating the Carolina Panthers 27-22 on Sept. 14, 2025.
asserted
Arizona → drop → Sept.
The longest home losing streak in NFL history is 14 games set by the Cowboys (1988-89) and Rams (2008-10).
asserted
streak → set → Cowboys
— The Rams are the only team in the NFL this season that hasn’t allowed a touchdown in the first quarter of any game.
asserted
that → allow → game
— Los Angeles has one of the most productive RB combos in the league this season with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.
asserted
Angeles → have → Williams
Williams has run for 593 yards and six touchdowns while Corum has 447 yards on the ground and four TDs.
— The Rams have a 15-4 record against the Cardinals during McVay’s 10-year tenure on the sideline.
asserted
Rams → run → sideline
The Aporia
